Thailand is our neighbor and Malaysians, should be concerned with the problem face by our neighboring countries like Thailand. We always have a good relation with Thailand and Thailand has always been our good neighbor. All of us should be concerned about the situation that Thailand is facing now. Since Thaksin Sinawatra ousted as the Prime Minister of Thailand, the problems in Thailand seem to continue without end. Thaksin ousted as Prime Minister of Thailand by military coup d’état and since that day Thaksin has never stop in his attempt to gain back the power. Although Thaksin was out of Thailand, but the peoples who support Thaksin continue the struggle to bring back Thaksin into power.

Thaksin is a billionaires and he is generous to the poor people of Thailand especially the poor peoples in the north and the east west of Thailand. These poor people become the strong supporter of Thaksin. As a businessperson, Thaksin has use his position as the Prime Minister of Thailand to amass wealth through the various business activities that Thaksin use to have even before he becomes the Prime Minister of Thailand. Business communities in major cities of Thailand especially Bangkok are not happy with Thaksin total monopoly of business and they make demonstrations in the city of Bangkok asking Thaksin to step down. Military forces with the blessing of the royal palace ousted Thaksin as Prime Minister and an army General by the named Sonthi ruled Thailand temporarily.

After the short rule by the army, Thailand conducted another general election, and although Thaksin was not in the country, the party, once the party of Thaksin wins the election with overwhelming majority. Thaksin and his wife at the same time were charge with various charges of bribery and the left Thailand for Great Britain as political refugees. When Thaksin party wins the election, Thaksin came back to Thailand as a hero. Thaksin supporters are mainly the poor peoples of Thailand while the urban and the business communities of Thailand support his opponents’ parties. Thaksin supporters wear the red cloth while Thaksin opponents wear the yellow cloth. When Thaksin and his allies are in power, the yellow groups were in the roads doing demonstrations. When the opponents of Thaksin are in power, the red groups are in the roads doing demonstrations. The roads demonstration in Thailand seems to be endless as it was in Indonesia towards the end of Suharto’s regime that finally led to Suharto to step down as the President of Indonesia.

Now, Abhisit Vejjajiva is the Prime Minister of Thailand. He was the leader of the Democratic Party and is elected as Prime Minister not because Democratic Party wins the general election but through elections conducted among the Lawmakers of Thailand. Since Thaksin was popular among the poor people of Thailand and the poor are more than the rich are, Thaksin are sure to wins if there is any general election done in Thailand now. However, the urban and the business communities of Thailand do not like Thaksin or his allies to rise to power and they do not prefer Thailand to go to another general election. Now Thaksin or the red cloth group makes road demonstration demanding Abhisit to step down, to dissolve Parliament and to make another general election. Abhisit had refused the demands of the red group. The tussles of power between the two groups plunged Thailand into crisis that has lasted for so many years.

The incident in Thailand shows the weakness of democratic system. In term of democracy, Thaksin who wins the general election should become the Prime Minister of Thailand. He wins twice the general elections with great majority. He was denied to become the Prime Minister of Thailand after winning the second time general elections when the army with the blessing of the royal palace performed the coup d’état. However, the urban business communities dislike him because Thaksin will control almost all the major business ventures in Thailand in case he becomes the Prime Minister. As Prime Minister, Thaksin has the power to monopolize all the business ventures in Thailand while others are not having the same chance as Thaksin has.

Thaksin is clever as a businessperson and as politicians. Thaksin knows that in order to remain in power in democratic system you must have the support of the majority of the people. In order to gain support of the people Thaksin knows that he must do good services to the people. Thaksin also knows that the best way to have the support of the people is to help them by giving them money. The poor people of Thailand support Thaksin because when he was the Prime Minister of Thailand, he helps many poor people in Thailand. Thaksin pour the money that he has to help the poor people that constitute the majority of Thai people. Because of the support of the poor, in any general elections, Thaksin is sure to win with great majority. The urban and business communities of Thailand cannot denied the popularity that Thaksin has and they knows that Thaksin will come back to power if general election is being held in Thailand now.

Thailand is in great dilemma. The system of democracy that Thailand has does not seem to solve their problems. Democracy is not the system develops by Almighty Allah that can solve all the political problems that man has. Democracy is a system develops by human beings, which are far from perfect to develop a perfect system of governance. Muslims should not believe in the system develop by men but they should believe in the system given by Allah. All Muslims politicians who want to become the champion of democratic system should take lessons from the incident in Thailand. Democracy is not an Islamic system of governance. The way Muslims chose their leaders should be like the times of the four great Caliphs of Islam.

Thailand will solve her problem when they use the King as the decision maker to decides who should becomes the Prime Minister of Thailand and not the members of laws makers which are not respected and honored by Thai people. All Thais respect and accept the decision of their Kings and none will dare to go against the decision of the King. In order to decide who should become the Prime Minister of Thailand, the King must make consultations with various important personalities in Thailand. After consultations the King make the decision and the King, decision is final. In order for the two groups to unite the person that the King should choose as the Prime Minister of Thailand should be the person acceptable by both parties. The King can choose any person and not necessarily from among the politicians to become, the Prime Minister of Thailand as long as the person can becomes a means to unite the Thai people.

Prof Dr Nasoha Saabin
March 2010
Integrative Holistic Wellness Centre